How do sleazeballs like Scott Walker always manage to slither out of these predicaments with nary a scratch or without charges being filed? I'm talkin' to you John Ensign, Mark Sanford, David Vitter, etc. ad nauseam.

Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm announced this morning he is closing a John Doe investigation without filing additional charges, ending the threat Gov. Scott Walker could be caught up in the long running probe. [...]

State Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate responded thatWalker's biggest accomplishment in his first two years in office was not related to the economy or education, but avoiding prosecution despite the conviction of two close aides.

Tate also requested that Scotty "release any and all information that was provided in John Doe, so the public can have full understanding." After all, Tate reminded us, Walker did promise transparency, so this would be a swell time to demonstrate a little of that.

Characterizing Tim Russell's crimes as misconduct in public office, Milwaukee Co. Judge David Hansher sentenced the former Scott Walker aide to two years in prison followed by five years extended supervision, more than prosecutors had requested.

He had pleaded guilty to "one felony count of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a veterans’ fund in exchange for prosecutors’ pledge to drop two other counts against him." He did that as part of a plea deal in the endless John Doe case.

About that company you keep, Gov. Walker... Things getting a little too close for comfort? Feeling a little sweaty yet? Still thinking of a presidential run in 2016?

MILWAUKEE — Tim Russell, an aide to Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was Milwaukee County executive, pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a veterans’ fund in exchange for prosecutors’ pledge to drop two other counts against him.

Russell is a former Walker campaign worker and his former deputy chief of staff.

He is one of four former aides and associates of the governor who have been convicted of crimes while working for Walker in Milwaukee County or on his 2010 campaign for governor. Two others also have been charged as a result of the probe, which has been going on for more than two years.

The governor on Monday said he is “absolutely” confident he is not a target of the investigation.

So Scotty's closest aide is cooperating with the prosecution, giving them damaging information about his boss.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate:

"That Scott Walker's longtime and closest political aide, who is charged with stealing from veterans, is the source of information undercutting Walker's self-serving claims of cooperation shows with crystal clarity just why Wisconsin must remove Scott Walker from office tomorrow... Today's revelation removes any doubt that Scott Walker is the target of a criminal prosecution."

According to a tweet from Walker's opponent in the recall election, Democrat Tom Barrett, "Final tracking poll shows that the diff in this race isn't 1 percentage pt -- it's one vote: 47.8% -47.7%."